Steering gear



March 24, 1931. nl.. TENNEY 1,797,737

STEERING GEAR Filed Feb. 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l S11/vento@ 67 y x r, I

March 24, 1.931. P, TENNEY 1,797,737

STEERI NG GEAR Filed Feb. 2l, `1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 atto/aww Patented Mar. 24, 1931 lnarran STATES PATENT oFFic-E PERRY L, TENNEY, or Muncie, Innrann, Assrcfnoa ro sananet morons oonrona- TIoN, or Darn-oir, niermann, n consumieron or DELAWARE STEERING GEAR l This invention relates'to steering gears particularly as applied to automotive vehicles. In the past' it has been customary to pro- I vide a bearing or bushing between the various concentric shafts, for example, the throttle and spark tubes, as it was supposed that such bearings or bushings were necessary to prevent rattle, however, in my invention I asy semble, for example, the throttle and spark tubes in telescopic relation but without the use of bearings, bushings or other means to separate them. The supposed rattling of the tubes in prior construction was thought to y occur becauseof the factthat the tubes were straight throughout their length, however, I havefound that due to inaccuracies in manufacture and distortion during assembly the spark and throttle tubes when telescopically assembled will vbind enough to prevent lany 2o appreciable noise due to'rattling and will also permit of the one' being easily rotated relative to the other. l t I,

My throttle and spark tubesY are assembled within the stationary vcontrol tube which in V23 turn is surrounded bythe steering worm shaft' and the latter inclosed within the steering mast Jacket from which itis supported by suitable bearings. Y n i I also have a novel assembly of .levers or `3o controls at the top of the steering column.

The parts are of sheet metal and the spark and throttle levers are integral extensions of discs which are centrally secured to their respective tubes, preferably by upsetting the tube ends and Hanging ontotheldisc and se-v curing'the flange and disc by a key( These discs have a friction plate interposed betweenthem and upon the upper disc a second friction plate is arranged; V(The two fric# tion plates are held stationary by' means of two bolts which pass through the top 4and bottom plates of the assembly and are surrounded by springs which press downwardly on the,v plates to provide the necessary friction maintain'the levers intheir proper positions uninfluenced by the reactions transmitted from the tubes. This frictionis of a degree that will give a proper softness that lends it- 5H to'secure the desired operating effect and tol self veryreadily to hand operation, and'also serves to hold the parts together. This frici tion however, is not of such a character as to interfere with` the easy operation of the throttle and spark levers.

In my novel steering gear arrangement I make use 0f helical gears at both steering shaft and cross shaft for by this arrangement it is possible to place the cross shaft at the given angle with reference to the steering shaft so that the former may be placed at right angles to the diverging side bar of the chassis frame. This arrangement permits of a maximum turning radius without interferring with the turning movement of the wheels, due to the fact that the drag linkrecedes toward the center line of the chassis when the wheel is turned in a direction which will make its rear portion tend to strike the drag link.

The. invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawingin which: f

Figure 1 is a section through the steering jacket or column ofmy invention taken on the line 1 1 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a planV view of the controls taken on the linev 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view of the lower portion of the structure of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrow shown at the right of the figure. i f

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the cross-shaft housing and related structure.

Figure 5 vis a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;. i

Figure 6y is a plan view of so much of an automotive vehicle asis necessary to illustrate the application of my invention thereto.

Referring to Figure 6, l0designates the chassis frame, 11 the front wheels, 12 the axle, 13 the steering knuckles, 14 the tie rod, 15 theY steering arm andf16 the drag link, which parts are conventional with motor vehicles. y

rIn Figure 1, 17 designates the steeringwheel having a hubl8, which is turnably mounted in the steering housing or jacket 19, having at its upper end a bushing 2() which surrounds the steering worm shaft 21 secured to the hub V 18 by means of a key 22 fitting a lend of the steering worm` shaft is screw threaded at 27' and has screwed thereon a nut 28, the purpose of which is to draw the ta-V pered portion 29 of the steering worm shaft 21 against the tapered seat 30 of the steering wheel hub.

The upper end of the stationary control tube 24 is upset as at 31 and has secured thereto a lower cup shaped stamping 32 which is held in place by means of an annular flange 33 preferably keyed to the stamping at the top of the tube, giving a purely mechanical connection without the aid of brazing.

The throttle tube projects upwardly past the stationary control tube and is similarly upset and flanged to rigidly hold the throttle disc 34 which is secured to the tube by a keyed flange. This disc is seated upon stamping 32 and has formed thereon an integral handle 35 for operating the tube.

The spark tube 26 projects upwardly past the throttle tube and is upset and flanged similarly to the stationary and throttle tubes and has secured at the upset portion a second disc 36, having an integral handle 37 formed thereon. Between the discs 34 and 36 there is interposed al friction plate 38 and overlying the disc 36 is a second friction plate 39.

At the upper end of the spark tube 26, overlying its flanged end and resting on the disc 36, there is mounted a horn wire cap 4()v of any suitable insulating material, carried in a support cap 90 having an integral bottom and yfour upwardly projecting prongs and surrounded by a spring 41 resting on the disc 36 and outwardly pressing on a horn button 42 passing through an opening in an upper cup shaped stamping 43 which overlies the disc 36. The cap 42 is held within the stamping 43 by means Vof an annular flange 44.

The upper and lower cups as well as the friction plates and control discs have bolt openings for the reception of two bolts 45 screwed into washers 46 welded to the underside of the lower stamping 32 and tapped to receive the threaded end of the bolts 45. Surrounding each bolt 45 and abutting at their ends against the supporting stampings 32, and 43 are the spacing collars 91. Surrounding both collars are coil springs 47,` held between the upper stamping 43 and the upper friction plate 39, the purpose of these springs the horn wire 49, in the form of an armored cable.

At the lower end of the mast or acket 19, there is attached by means of a clamp 50 and a bolt 51, a housing 52 enclosing a worm 53 secured by means of a key 54 to the lower end of the steering worm shaft 21. The housing has a recess 55 at its upper portion and between this recess and worm 53 are located two thrust washers 56.

The lower end of the housing is enlarged and internally screw threaded as at 57 and receives therein the steering worm adjusting block 58 the upper portion of which is plain and snugly lits within the housing, while the lower portion thereofv is screw threaded to conform to the threaded portion 57 of the housing 52. Between the block 58 and the lower end of the worm 53 are positioned two thrust washers 56.

The steering worin shaft 21 extends down through the upper portion of the housing 52 and into the bore 61 of the steering worm adjusting block 58, and upper and lower bushings 59 and 60 are interposed between the steering worm shaft and the housing and adjusting block, respectively.

The lower end of the bore of the block 58 is recessed as at 62 and internally screw threaded and in the bottom of this recess there rests a washer 63 and a packing 64 secured in the recess by means of a hollow packing nut 65 whose exposed end is castellated.

The lower ends of the spark and throttle tubes have secured thereto the usual operating levers 66 and 67, respectively.

The housing 52 has a lateral enlarged pol" tion 68 in which is enclosed the helical gear A69 which meshes with the helical worm 53.

The gear 69 is vfastened to the tapered end of a cross-shaft 7 O and is held thereon by means of a washer 7 land a nut 72. A thrust collar 73 bears against the face ofthe gear 69 and is held in place by means of the cover 74 secured to the housing by means of two bolts 75. Between the cover 74 and the enlarged portion 68 of the housing 52, a washer 76 is interposed to make an oil tight joint. The thrust collar 73 is provided with oil grooves 74o to permitcirculation of the oil in the housing 52 to the inside of the collar 73. The housing52 has an extension arm 77 which is recessed at 78 adjacent the gear 69, for the reception of a thrust washer 79 to take the thrust from the gear 69, and an oil groove 80 is provided on Vthe face of the gear where it abuts the kwasher 79.

It is to be here noted that the cross-shaft 7 O and its arm 77 forms an angle of greater than 90o with the steering worm shaft 21 and its housing 52, made possible by the use of helical gears between the shafts 21 and 70 and the purpose of which is to allow the shaft to extend at right angles to and through the converging chassis sidebar.V This Vwill permit ioo of a maximum turning radius of the wheels without interference with the drag link, as the link will tend to move toward the center line of the chassis when the rear portion of the wheel swings in the direction of the Y drag link.

Within the extension arm 7 7 and surrounding the shaft 70 are inner and outer bushings 81 and 82, and on the exposed end 83 of the shaft 70 shown in Figures 4 and 5, there is attached the arm ofthe steering mechanism which forms the connection with the drag link. The end 83 is corrugated to secure a t-ight fit with the arm and has a spring washer 84 and a nut 85 tov hold the arm in place.

The cover 74 it will be noted is provided with an integral clamping arm 86 which clamps the lower portion of the stationary control tube 24. This clamping is brought about by means of a split bearing 87 through the ends of which a bolt 88 is passed to rigidly hold the arm 86 onto the control tube.

Thepperation of my steering device is as follows: By turning the steering wheel 17 the steering worm shaft 21 attached thereto will be rotated which will cause the rotation of the worm 53 fixed to the lower end thereof. The worm 53 will communicate its motion to the worm wheel 69 rigid with the vshaft 70 and from the shaft 70 the motion will be transmitted by the downwardly projecting arm to the drag link 16, and through the with the upper end of the tube 25. The tube 25 is free to rotate and will swing the arm 67 attached to the opposite end and from which suitable connection is made to the throttle.

The slots 48 in the disc 34 will permit the disc to rotate with reference to the bolts 45. The operation of the spark control is similar to the operation of the throttle control.

I claim:

1. In a motor vehicle control, a stationary control tube, a control assembly comprising a supporting stamping secured to the tube, a control disc directly supported on said stamping, a second control disc over the first disc, a friction disc interposed between said control discs, a friction disc over the second control disc, and a second stamping over the second mentioned friction disc, said discs comprising stampings, a plurality of bolts passing through said stampings and discs, and resilient means .surrounding said bolts to hold said parts against rattle.

2. The combination of claim 1, said resilient means held between said second stamping and said second mentioned friction disc.

3. rIhe combination of claim 1, and a spacing sleeve around each bolt, said resilient means surrounding said sleeves.

4. In a motor vehicle control, a control tube, a plurality of stampings supported from said tube constituting a control assembly and comprising a lower inverted cup shaped supporting member, a control operating member ositioned directly on saidfsupporting memlier, a stationary friction disc on said control member, a second movable control operating member on said `friction disc, a second stationary friction disc on said second operating member, an upper inverted cup-shaped supg porting member over but spaced from said second named friction disc, and a plurality of bolts passing entirely through Ysaid assembly to secure saidassembly together.l I

' 5. In a vmotor vehicle control, a stationary control tube, a control assembly comprising a supporting stamping secured to the tube, a control disc directly supported on said stamping, a second control disc over the firstdisc, a friction disc interposed Vbetween said control discs, a friction disc over the second control disc, and 'a second stamping over the secondmentioned friction disc, said discs comprising stampings, a plurality of bolts passing throughsaid stampings and discs, resilient means surrounding said bolts to hold said'parts against rattle, anda horn cap freely mounted on said second stamping. l

6. In a motor vehicle control, a control assembly comprising stampings consisting of a pluralityyof plates and discs, bolts passing through-said assembly to hold the parts together, and coilA springs surrounding said bolts to hold the assembly in frictional contact, said springs positioned at the uppermost portion of said assembly between the two uppermost parts.

7. In a motor vehicle control, in combinaV tion, a control assembly including a control operating member and a stamping positioned thereover, a horn wire capmounted over said member, a horn button secured on said stamping and cooperating with said cap, resilient means confined between said control operating member and said horn button to urge said button away from said assembly, and means to secure said assembly together.

8. In a motor vehicle control, in combination, a control assembly including a control operating member and a stamping positioned thereover, ahorn wire cap mounted over said member, a horn button secured on said stamping and cooperating with said cap, a coil spring surrounding said cap, inclosed within said button and confined between said button and control operating member to urge said member on said friction disc, a second sta'- tionary friction disc on said second operating member, an upper inverted cup-shaped supporting member over but spaced from said 5 second named friction disc, a plurality of bolts passing entirely through said assembly to secure said assembly together, and spacing sleeves surrounding said bolts to maintain said supporting members in spaced relation. f

10. In a motor Vehicle control, a control tube, a plurality of stampings supported from said tube constituting a control assembly and comprising a lowerr inverted cup-shaped sup- `porting member, a control operating member position-ed directly on said supporting member, a stationary friction disc on said control member, a second movable control operating member on said friction disc, a second sta- A tionary friction disc on said second operating member, an upper inverted-cup-shaped supporting member over but spaced from said second named friction disc, a plurality of bolts passing entirely through said assembly to secure said assembly together, spacing sleeves surrounding said bolts to maintain said supporting members in spaced relation, and coil springs surrounding said sleeves and held between said upper supporting member and said second named friction disc to maintain the operating parts in frctional engagement'within the control assembly and to prevent rattle. Y

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature PERRY L. TENNEY. 

